Best of the Web: Selecting a School
Summary: Helpful links and sources for more information about selecting the right college for you.
Time to read: Under a minute
Who this is for: Juniors, Seniors and Parents
Please note: Although the College Money Matters Team has found the information on the sites listed here to be useful, we do not endorse these or any sites from any organization. Also, we have not verified the content. Please be aware that there are always assumptions and flaws in any statistics and information that are gathered by any researcher.
College Navigator
Use this application to find out if you’re eligible for certain kinds of financial aid from non-government sources. Over 400 colleges require it, so check to see if any if your chosen colleges are on the list.
Third Way Report
There are a lot of ways to evaluate colleges. Take a break from US News and check out this report from Third Way on costs and benefits of attending certain colleges.
College Scorecard
A website managed by the US Department of Education, this source provides details about specific colleges, graduation rates, student body profiles, costs, financial aid and debt, and more. It also presents potential salaries after graduating, but remember that averages and medians can sometimes be misleading, especially if you’re looking for starting salaries.
College Scholarship Service CSS Application
Use this application to find out if you’re eligible for certain kinds of financial aid from non-government sources. Over 400 colleges require it, so check to see if any if your chosen colleges are on the list.
FAFSA Application for Federal Student Aid
In terms of paying for college, your FAFSA application may be the most important form you fill out. It’s your key to getting low-cost government loans for your college education, no matter what your or your family’s income may be.
Special resources for minority students
Here is the link to the United Negro College Fund scholarship site. Check through the many scholarships on this site and others to see if you meet the eligibility criteria and application requirements.
Schools using the common app
Here is a list of colleges that accept the common app.
Common application sites focused on minority students
These sites provide ways for minority students to apply to multiple colleges with one application.
Problems caused by for-profit colleges
This article delivers powerful insights into many of the issues with for-profit college, including their high-pressure sales techniques, tendency to result in high debt for students, and relatively meaningless degrees.
Find out what your personal financial aid package might look like at different colleges
This free crowdsourced model based on the statistics of thousands of students can help you estimate what a particular school might give you in financial Aid.
For-profit colleges to avoid
College Money Matters suggests you avoid “for profit” colleges. Here is a list of their names so you can tell them from accredited public and private colleges and universities.
Helpful links and sources for more information about selecting the right college for you.